American Imprisoned in Cuba Sues Ex-Employer, US

Source: AP

An American imprisoned in Cuba for nearly three years is suing his former Maryland employer and the United States government for $60 million, saying they didn't adequately train him or disclose risks he was undertaking by doing development work on the Communist island.

Alan Gross and his wife Judy sued Friday in federal court in Washington. The lawsuit alleges that the economic development company Gross was working for in Cuba and the U.S. government, with which the company had a contract, failed to provide Gross "with the education and training that was necessary to minimize the risk of harm to him."

Gross, 63, was arrested in December 2009 while on his fifth trip to Cuba. The trip was part of a project to increase the availability of Internet access in the country, particularly to the island's small Jewish community. Gross was working on the effort as a subcontractor for Development Alternatives Inc., an economic development company based in Bethesda, Md.

The company, known as DAI, was a contractor for the U.S. Agency for International Development, the U.S. government agency that provides economic and humanitarian assistance worldwide. USAID has been criticized by Cuba for seeking to promote democratic change on the island, and Cuba says its programs are a veiled attempt by Washington to undermine the government.

This is huge news. This pins the tail on the donkey of the previously denied role of USAID in sending Alan Gross into a job that was NOT about "helping the Jewish community" with telecommunications but was instead essentially espionage.

This means that the USA should release the so called Cuban spies that are in prison in the USA, who weren't undermining the US but keeping tabs on terrorist activities against the Cuban people.

C'mon Obama let's do a spy swap and then lift the embargo. Gross has been a sticking point.

12. No, USAID was never the Peace Corps

They were always separate. The Peace Corps volunteers work for subsistence wages for two years in a general area of endeavor (community development, health, teaching) in a specific location. The USAID employees are paid far better to work on specific projects for however long it takes.

3. I'm sure the the US gov't would allow declared enemies to set up com networks here.

5. Gross finally got some good legal advice

As long as he repeated the lies about his purposes there the Cubans weren't going to get anywhere on his release. It is amazing that Gross, or rather his wife, went in this direction but in some ways it was all they had left. I don't think they did this in agreement with the US govt. but you never know.

7. He took specialized equipment not readily available meant

to get around observation - exactly what would set off red flags, and he did it many times before they busted him. It's hard to say he was being manipulated as they are claiming, he went there enough to know the deal

14. It must be because you're in England?

This company spams the internet mercilessly but it's just for Americans traveling to Cuba. They had their license on hold for several months and now they have to fill up the tours. I was wondering what happens with these groups now in terms of Santiago, I'm guessing that is off the list for now. The best would be they go there and help out but that's hard on a short term visit

17. Off topic

The pair of Dutch girls with whom I'm friends were shipped off to Varadero from Guadalavaca when Sandy hit. It took the roof off the Brisas hotel and the restaurant down the beach disappeared totally. All guests in the villas had been put under strict instruction to stay in the bathrooms which have no windows pending evacuation. They said it eerie when they were within the eye with the air perfectly still. Main thing is they're safe and sound back in Holland now.

22. why on earth would Cuba let USAID in the country? What is the US govt doing in Cuba?

24. Alan Gross was paid by a USAID contractor to sneak equipment

into Cuba that could allow communications to get around detection. He did it many times before the Cuban govt arrested him. Cuba knows the USA is funding this kind of "democracy building" and they stop it when they can but its insidious. Many of the dissidents are paid for what they do and that undercuts their credibility, not all though.